If I had a nickel for every time I have seen Senate Democrats smile weakly and cave-in, prompting me to want to pull out my hair, we could all retire in style. That’s why I nicknamed Harry Reid “The Nevada Leg Hound.”
Today, I could not be more proud of the Democrats’ performance in the Kava-Nazi hearings. and they’re not just making noise. They have a plan to win that actually might work.
As the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh sailed this summer toward a presumed confirmation in the fall, progressive activists implored Democrats in the Senate to escalate their fight—even to abandon the chamber’s cherished norms, if necessary—in a bid to stop it.
On Thursday, they got their wish.
Led by Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee released documents from Kavanaugh’s service in the George W. Bush administration that had been labeled as “confidential” and withheld from public view as the federal appellate judge sat for his confirmation hearing. One set of emails, leaked to The New York Times, showed Kavanaugh casting doubt on the Court’s precedent legalizing abortion. And in a contentious moment as the panel reconvened Thursday morning, Booker announced that he would risk expulsion by releasing emails related to Kavanaugh’s views on affirmative action and racial profiling.
“I violated this rule knowingly,” Booker said, describing his decision as an act of civil disobedience.
In the face of an angry response from Republicans on the committee, senior Democrats said they would stand alongside Booker if the Senate sought to punish him. “Let’s jump into this pit together,” said Senator Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the chamber. “If there is going to be some retribution against the senator from New Jersey, count me in.”
The support led Booker to remark: “This is probably the closest I’ll ever have in my life to having an ‘I am Spartacus’ moment.” (Republicans later said they had agreed to release the documents before Booker acted, though they protested his move at the time.)… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <The Atlantic>
If you believe the Republican claims that they has already agreed to release the documents, talk to me about buying shares in a ski lodge in the high mountains of Kansas.
Here are a few examples of the fighting.
Rachel Maddow spent 26 minutes making her point about what Democrats are trying to do.
I fully agree. If confirming Kava-Nazi becomes so unpopular that just a handful of Republican’s decide that doing so would threaten their political future, we could win this one! I admit it’s a long shot, but long shot beats no shot at all.
Rachel mentioned Kamala Harris. Here, Kamala has Kava-Nazi by the short hairs.
Note how he kept trying to trick her into revealing what she has on him. Keep calling your Senators, especially Republicans.
RESIST!!
VOTE BLUE!!
60 DAYS!!
14 Responses to “Kudos to the Senate Democrats!”
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I saw parts of this, and I’m so proud of Senator Booker taking the ‘bull by the horns’ and making this work in favor for the Dems!! Mr. Booker, you are Spartacus!!! Ms. Harris had a can of ‘whoop As- in her pocket too. Kudos to y’all !!! for rallying against KavaNope!
Cartoon: Yes, yes, YES!!! said the lady who grew up in NJ…
I grew up there too!
I said this before, but I think it bears repeating.
I also have to admire the way Democratic Senators are thinking ahead by getting testimony into the record, looking forward to a day in which Republicans are not in charge. I hope that day will come, and come soon, but, even if it never does, I don’t know what else they can do. Sen Cory Booker (D-NJ, and congratulations, Mitch) went so far as to release some pages of the evidence they are calling “Committee Confidential”, mostly regarding a wrongly (IMO) decided case in Colorado which I remember well.
Close the popup (more than once if necessary) and it should be able to be read in full.
Is there a special significance to your having a eastern kingbird in the photo? Like, “Eastern senator for king?”
No, since I didn’t even know it was an Eastern Kingbird. I did know it was no birdbrain, and we should pay attention to the message.
I second your top sentence!!
I saw the news snippet and I’ll watch the whole hearing later tonight.
It’s about time Democrats stuck it to these nasty Republican.
YES!! Sen. Booker!!
More of Kavanaugh decisions and utterances need to be released immediately.
Chuck Grassley needs to stop hindering this hearing and release everything about Kavanaugh, otherwise he should step down as the chairman. .
Corey (runs into burning house on his very own) Booker is my senator, and I’m feeling mighty proud!!!!?
Hoping Harris has some real goodies in store for the Brettshit!
Grassley will neither step down, nor stop being a POS!
New equipment for Democrats – ain’t that the truth! To say nothing of a spine. Maybe, just maybe, they have learned their lessons. However, they still have a lot to work to do – and more lessons to learn.
Kudos to these Democratic heroes.
This SCOTUS nomination game is certainly played with very high stakes when Democratic senators are willing to risk expulsion from the senate to get the truth (covered by Republicans) out on Kavanaugh.
Booker and Hirono had their stakes, i.e. release of confidential documents to the public, backed by valid reasons; I really hope Harris can back up her stake too by releasing some proof of the conversation she referred to. If this was all inference without something to make it stand, it’ll back fire and turn it into hearsay and ruin her credibility and career.
Now we have to wait for two Republican heroes who’ll vote against Kavanaugh, I guess.
Leahy is the one who REALLY has the goods. The “stolen emails” which Kavanazi advised on and has denied even seeing were stolen from HIM.
Well AMEN Corey Booker!!! . . . and Masie Hirono! The fact that other senators lined up behind Booker is great! It will be hard for Republicans to expel Booker without feeling the need to expel the others as well. If they do try, it should only serve to show the American people how “criminal” the Republicans are.
If Republicans try to go the expulsion route, perhaps Snake in the Grassley should likewise be held accountable for ignoring procedural rules like ignoring completely the motion to adjourn so that senators could review and analyse the documents they were sent at the 11th hour.
So much Republican bull shit!!! I like the WaPo’s line “Democracy dies in darkness”. This is a perfect example.
Thanks, Hugs, and Amen to all!
Wow that was fun, so good watching him stumble & cringe over a simple question!WTG Sen Harris!